County Highway Department to Get New Truck

The White County Board meeting Tuesday night was brief but productive as the board approved the purchase of a new dump truck for the county highway department.

That was the main order of business in the less than 20 minute meeting that also included routine matters such as approving the minutes and paying the county bills.

Brian Ray, the county highway engineer received permission from the board to sell off some excess equipment.

Ray reported receiving two bids for a new dump truck; One for a Freightliner, the other for a Western Star. Both bids were over $165,000. He asked permission to purchase the Freightliner at a cost of just over $167,000.

He went on to report the highway department budget had $180,000 for equipment and he would rather purchase new as used equipment was often just someone else’s problems.

Board Chairman Donnie Puckett said “you know your budget, and you know your equipment,” prior to asking for a vote on the request. The board approved the request and the highway department will be getting a new truck from Mt. Vernon Truck Center.

In other matters, Ray reported three miles of Belair road is scheduled to be repaved, that from Highway 141 to the Concord turn-off. Ray said the highway department will likely double chip and seal a portion of the road, until further funding can be accessed for repaving. He said his crews are patching the road almost daily but explained it is in rough shape.

Circuit Clerk Kelly Sexton Fulkerson reported she would be losing another employee in her office and would be looking for a replacement in the coming weeks.

Puckett reported the ambulance service showed a positive balance of $5,000 for the month of February and the sheriff’s department reported 59 inmates with February revenue reported at $89,000.

The next county board meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 9.